Looking for things to do in Cologne? Look no further! Before a trip, we extensively research and then only recommend what we’d do again to you. We even throw in things we wanted to do but didn’t get around to doing for those of you who like a more packed schedule.
We also recommend great places to stay (including less touristy neighbourhoods).
Things to do in Cologne Old Town
Visit the Cathedral (& climb up the 533 steps if you’re feeling energetic!)
You can’t miss Cologne Cathedral both in that it’s a must-visit and you actually can’t miss it – it’s huge!
The Cathedral is a pilgrimage site as it is said to house the relics (bones) of the 3 Wise Men (Shrine of the Three Kings).
Price: Entry is free but if you want to climb the tower it will cost €6
Website: https://www.koelner-dom.de/en
TIP:- Check their website for mass times. When we visited we were unable to look around as much as we’d have liked as there was a service on. Alternatively, you may want to schedule your visit around Mass. There are also answers to FAQ’s about general visits to the Cathedral and climbing the tower.
Free walking tour
I do a free walking tour in every city I travel to. Why? They are simply the best place to get a context for the place you’re in and find your bearings.
Free Walking Tours teach the history of a place and key sights in an entertaining, narrative way. Guides are usually from the city, or have lived there for many years and are passionate about sharing its story.
They’re also usually more than happy to tell you places they love to visit as a local including the best places to eat / drink.
Price: you pay what you think the tour was worth to you at the end of the tour
Stroll down the River Rhine
Cologne has a wide path by the river which you can wander down in either direction. Grab a Reibekuchen (a local potato-based snack) from Rievkoochebud Reibekuchen to take along for the journey.
You could even buy a Kolsh (local beer) for the road too – drinking outside in Germany is legal.
Price: Free (plus the cost of your Reibekuchen!)
Drink kolsh
Even if you’re not a big beer fan, trying Kolsh in Cologne is a must – it’s their pride and joy (and for good reason!). There are tonnes of breweries in the old town so you can try a few and decide on your favorite. Locals tell us the ‘red’ label brews are the best (as opposed to the blue labelled ones) but sample a few and decide for yourself!
Fun Fact : You can only legally brew Kolsh if you can see both spires of the Cathedral so you can only get it on draught in Cologne itself. Ok technically you can get them in a small place in Scotland too. How? They found a loophole by having a 24/7 live stream of the Cathedral just to brew the stuff!
A few breweries in the old town to visit are :-
- Fruh
- Sion (or even stay here! Keep reading..)
- Peters
These all brew the stuff and you can have some great food alongside your Kolsh. The locals recommended the breweries for food which was surprising, and accurate (we tried the food at Fruh and Peters and were very impressed!).
Where to stay in Cologne’s old town
If you base yourself in the Old Town you’ll likely be no more than a 15-20 minute walk away from the above sights (if that!).
It’s a good place to base yourself if you’re only in Cologne for a couple of days, or if it’s your first time here.
Find for your ideal place to stay here
We stayed in Hotel Sion (which is also a brewery). It couldn’t be more central (a block from the Cathedral) and it was spotlessly clean and comfortable. See if it’s available for your dates here.
Things to do in Cologne (Wider City)
Venture outside the old town to see more of the city. You could spend half a day:
- Visiting the Botanical Gardens (free)
- Explore the Belgian Quarter for quirky shops and cafes
- Head to Stratdwald Forest for nature trails (reach here in under 20 minutes)
If you want to stay outside of the old town (and save some money) book accommodation in Nippes neighbourhood or Ehrenfeld neighbourhood.
Things to do in Cologne (Day Trips)
Visit Bonn
You can reach the nearby city of Bonn in just 20-30 minutes by train. Bonn was the capital of West Germany whilst the Berlin Wall was up.
It’s also the birthplace of Beethoven AND the place we can thank for Haribo! It’s got a lot going for it!
It’s also a beautifully picturesque small city to wander around for an afternoon.
How to get to Bonn from Cologne
Bonn is just a short train ride away from Cologne, and with regular trains (up to 50 a day) making it really easy to plan a full day or a half-day trip there.
The train station is central in both Cologne and Bonn so it’s the best option.
Our train took just 25 minutes but some can take 55 minutes so check routes before you travel here.
If you don’t buy your ticket ahead online, allow plenty of time to navigate the machines in the station. From memory we had a bit of trouble but I think it was due to my friend using a credit card (as opposed to a debit card).
TIP: In Germany central train stations are all named ‘Hauptbahnhofs’ or ‘hbf’ for short. So look for this in the list of destinations on platforms/ticket booths.
Heading to Cologne soon? Don’t miss our guide on the best places to eat (and drink) including some recommendations from locals too (the best kind!).
We hope we’ve helped you plan where to stay and plan your time in Cologne. Let us know how your trip to Cologne goes, we want to hear all about it in the comments!